Antoj DuSang
DuSang Mantra Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I have victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. Description He stands at a modest 6'1 and is almost always wearing the Saronite armor of the Ebon Knights. Often the only facial features seen are a part of his beard on his chin, gray and pale, and his eyes, giving the icey blue glare common with those of his kind. Without the cowl, his is a haggard face of many wars and battles, displaying what would assume to be a man nearing his mid or late 40's. However, even with the rough visage he maintains a face often found among leaders among military services: Stern, strong, angular. His hair is a pale and graying shade of brown or red. It is often let loose upon his neck or tied into a ponytail. It should be noted that his hair is never short and is always kept to at least shoulder length. His stance and pace are that of high ranking military personnel: tall and imposing, with a sense of strength, confidence, and defiance. He wears across his chest a tabard, faded and greyed to a black-and-white texture of an unknown house or affiliation, and upon the top of his left greave the symbol of the Ebon Knights is firmly engraved. Upon his back a massive runeblade is secured, a black ebon colored blade that strikes a resemblance to the blades used by the House Barov. Indeed, this is one of the Barovian Family Blades, stolen from a place he visited often in his Scourge service: Scholomance. Should he remove his greaves one would find he wears a series of signet rings. On his left hand, one my find a signet ring of the Brotherhood of the Ebon Blade upon his index finger, while on his right hand one may find a worn and weatherd signet ring of the Brotherhood of the Holy Light on the index finger with yet another worn ring on his ring finger. It is interesting to note that the third ring looks to be a smaller signet ring, as if he or the creator did not have the money to make a truly proud signet. Often spotted with him is an unfortunate undead whelpling. He often scurries across the ground or is perched upon his right shoulder. Those who can sense magic strongly may sense a connection between the whelp and the knight, reason for which unexplained. It is young and therefore very curious, but at the same time shy when around strangers. Player's Overview Antoj DuSang was born into one of the most unlucky noble houses among the many in the old kingdom of Azeroth. The House DuSang had, some 230 or so years prior to the First War, staked a claim in the northern Redridge mountains, lead by former Knight of Azeroth Erik DuSang. Their intent was to expand the borders of Azeroth ever northward, and hopefully gain similar status as that of nearby families (Such as the Ebonlockes and Nightstones). However, they were rebuffed. After gathering enough citizens to establish an outpost village in the northern Redridge mountains, they ran afoul the Dark Iron Dwarves, recently displaced by the Bronzebeard clan during the dwarven civil war in Ironforge. And thus the dreams of Erik DuSang of becoming a powerful Noble were crushed. His land was far too small and underpopulated to wage war against the Dark Iron Dwarves, and so what became locally called Erik's March remained small and trivial, hardly recognized by Azeroth as an important borderland settlement. Worse was still to come, however, when the Dark Iron Dwarves under Thaurissian released Ragnaros, and the land was blasted into apocalypse. Some of the DuSang family were away in Elwynn Forest for a hunting trip with the catastrophe occurred, an event that robbed them of their home, their people, and any chance at true nobility. The DuSang family, however, were pitied in a way by the Azerothien nobility, and were given a modest pension and home in which to live 'in exile.' The largest contributors to their existence were the ancestors of the House Nightstone, whose own lands had been affected by the catastrophe as well. For generations the DuSang House lived in their exile. They were poor, with less and less funds being donated by the other Houses to support them. Eventually, some of the DuSang family would join the Azerothien military to earn their pay, becoming nobility in name and blood only. By the time of King Adamant Wrynn III's rule, the DuSang family were only treated as nobility during special occasions, and very rarely and only as an afterthought. Antoj DuSang was born during this time, fourteen years prior to the First War. He was raised by his father, Chevalier Aaron DuSang, to be a horseman and a soldier, but when the Orcs came through the portal, most of his family were those following Lord Anduin Lothar northward. It was in Lordaeron that the family got a second wind. With all of the Azerothien nobles displaced and homeless thanks to the orcs, the DuSang House was able to weasel their way a new home and prestige up north. They moved to Stratholme, in a house provided for by King Terenas, and began to start anew. Aaron DuSang would be killed attempted to take back the Burning Steppes, hoping to rebuild his family's possessions during the reconstruction period. It was for naught, however. The humans abandoned the Burning Steppes and focused on rebuilding those territories crucial to the financial and military stability of the nation. The burning and blasted lands of the DuSang and Dark Irons were considered a lost cause and a financial burden. And so it was that Antoj DuSang would attempt to also gain honor and prestige for his family, to start a new life in Lordaeron. He joined the Knights of the Silver Hand, and aided many people from Silverpine to Quel'thalas, from Stromguarde to Dalaran. All was well and peaceful for the family, until Arthas arrived. Prince Arthas Menethil came to Stratholme during a tumultuous time, and in an attempt to stop the spread of the Undead Plague and to stymie the growing forces of the Scourge, Arthas slew many civilians who lived in the city, including the DuSang family. Antoj, along with other Knights of the Silver Hand would learn of the disaster from Uther the Lightbringer, however he had no time to learn of the fate of his family. The Plague was spreading, and he was sent to various cities to defend them, or purge them of Undead. And then the unspeakable happened. Terenas was murdered, and the kingdom of Lordaeron fell into disarray, torn apart by a 'civil war' between Arthas and his Scourge, and Uther the Lightbringer and the denizens of Lordaeron. For Antoj, it was the First War reborn. At some point he was fighting during a last stand with other Paladins in the city of Cinderholme. The city was taken after days of brutal loss, and Antoj continued to fight with the few survivors until the very end. Stricken and cast down, he lay, waiting for death upon the blood soaked grass. But was for naught. The forces, lead by a Cult of the Damned necromancer, took the dying paladin to Stratholme. It was there, with Arthas's blessing, that his dying spirit was bound to a runeblade. As Arthas and others before him had willingly done, Antoj became a Death Knight. While unwillingly turned in life, he served his King easily through Arthas's powerful control. He fought with vigor and tenacity, but after only a few years in his service, he would break free, along with many others, and join the Knights of the Ebon Blade. After regaining his own free will, Antoj vowed to do only two things with his cursed life: Destroy the Scourge and Arthas, and then live in a peaceful seclusion back south in repentance. He was hampered by the destruction of his Runeblade during the Battle of Light's Hope Chapel, where he fought with many others. Since the runeblade was what prevented him from dying from his pre-Death Knight injuries he constantly drained the life energy from his surroundings and founts of magic, such as moonwells. Eventually he began to work on creating a new runeblade, using purified Moonwell water, a holy relic from the Cathedral in Stormwind, and a blade from the Barovian family crypts in Scholomance. The holy relic, a chalice, would contain the Moonwell water, where he dissolved the remains of his former runeblade. With his spirit essence contained by the water and challice, he'd use an energy transfer spell to combine, strengthen, and move the energy from the three items to his new sword. Currently he works research and development projects within the shadier areas of Stormwind. His experiments and projects are on par between something of an Apothecary and a Gnome. He's looking for eager persons to test the 'prototype' devices against his favorite targets: The Scourge and the Horde. He also writes books. Projects Paedus Gas: Designed using a strong poisonous chemical, derived primarily from deathweed and angel cap mushrooms, Antoj has created a clear liquid that causes a whole slough of fun, deathly effects. When emitted in the form of a vapor, it becomes not only a skin and eye irritant, but can affect the lungs and, thus, the nervous system. It can easily penetrate ordinary clothing and even rubber; upon skin contact it causes immediate pain and itching with a rash and swelling. Large, fluid-filled blisters develop after approximately a half day or so. Long exposure can cause poisoning leading organ necrosis and death, unless promptly treated by an experienced healer before necrosis can set in. Inhalation causes a burning pain, sneezing, coughing, vomiting, and possibly swelling and liquification of the lungs, causing respiratory failure. Ingestion results in severe pain, nausea, vomiting, and tissue damage. Generalized symptoms also include restlessness, weakness, subnormal temperature and low blood pressure. In the end it is a torturous, painful, and irritating poisonous gas that, if not fatal, will greatly reduce enemy numbers for some time. Recovery from exposure is dependent on length of time exposed. Light doses of skin contact may take several days, where as doses inhaled or ingested and lengthier skin contact may take several weeks. Eye contact my cause blindness if not treated. The compound collects with water, and may be easily washed from surfaces or cleared from the air with rain, mist, or fog. Kingroyal Cleanser: While looking into ways to clear the Undead taint from items and surfaces, Antoj has discovered a strong disinfectant, using primarily Kingsroyal (hence the name) and felweed. A clear, powerful acid, when diluted with water, can burn away infections on the skin. It is also a coagulant, able to slow the blood and wash it away from wounds for battlefield medics and surgeons to operate on clearly, while stopping light bleeding from scrapes and cuts easily. It can also be used to treat bloodstains by burning the blood out of the clothing (though long exposure may fade or completely destroy colors). It also, when diluted, can kill dead flesh easily, and is being used full-power to dissolve Scourge-tainted beings, items, and other such infections. Books "Redemption and Absolution: A Guide to being Free from Arthas and the Bumps Along the Way" -- Complete "Stromguarde: An Analysis" -- In the works "Alterac: Why not me?" -- In the works